Fanfic: The Way Things Are, Knockaround Guys, Tayl
by justjanedoe
Summary: Warnings, Spoilers and/or Author's Notes: big time movie spoilers -  after Matty's meeting with Sheriff Decker and before they go get the  guns, Taylor gives Matty some attention.


Title: The Way Things Are  
Author: Paula K.  
Fandom: Knockaround Guys  
Pairing: Matty / Taylor  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: Characters belong to writers Brian Koppelman and  
David Levien.  
Warnings, Spoilers and/or Author's Notes: big time movie spoilers -  
after Matty's meeting with Sheriff Decker and before they go get the  
guns, Taylor gives Matty some attention.

The Way Things Are

Taylor led Matty into the small bathroom behind the Taystee Freeze.  
They'd left Chris and Marbles out front to keep watch. Matty didn't  
talk. He knew Taylor couldn't. He knew the big guy felt like he was  
dying inside. He always did whenever Matty needed help and he wasn't  
there or couldn't do it. When Taylor'd said that he'd be packin' the  
next time he came across the Sheriff, Matty knew he wasn't kidding.  
Taylor would kill the sonofabitch. There was nothing Matty - or  
anyone else for that matter - could say to change his mind. Not that  
he'd want to. Christ! He hurt everywhere. And no matter how gentle  
Taylor tried to be, he still hurt like he'd gotten the shit kicked  
out of him because he had!

Taylor gave him a minute so he could piss, holding his jacket and  
watching the door. Frustration rolled off the broad shoulders and  
anger seethed beneath his tawny skin. Taylor wasn't about fighting  
anymore. Not like he used to be. Now he did it to prove a point. That  
no one messed with what is his. And Matty definitely falls into that  
category. Matty sobbed as he stood up straight. Taylor was there to  
lean against, so he did. Until Taylor wanted to turn him around and  
feel his ribs. Suddenly, while he still loved Taylor with everything  
he had, he wished he were anywhere else. He pulled away from his  
friend, acting the tough-guy.

"Stop it, Matty. If they're broken, we need to know," the low voice  
rumbled against his throat and Matty let him have his way. Broken or  
not, it hurt like hell. Taylor warmed his hands before undoing the  
silk shirt and pressing his palms over the smooth skin of his belly.  
Matty sucked in a breath, standing but barely, somewhere between  
sweating and shivering. "Sonofabitch." Matty flinched. Taylor hardly  
ever swore. Must be worse than he'd thought.

Taking a moment to examine the rest of him, Taylor pulled Matty close  
to his chest, running his hands up and down his back. He gave a small  
smile when Matty looped his arms around his waist. He knew Matty  
needed this. Matty was a toucher. If Matty liked you and was talking  
to you, he'd have his arm on you or would stand so close to you that  
you'd think he was your best friend. Taylor let out a sigh. He felt  
the strong heart beating against him through the thin cotton thermal.  
They held each other for a long time, Taylor pressing the smaller  
frame to him as though they were one. Moments like this were rare.

After a while, there was a knock on the door. Taylor's grimace was  
back, seemingly a permanent fixture. He didn't answer the knock. And  
there wasn't another. Slowly, he pulled Matty away from him and ran  
his fingers through the soft, dark hair. Taylor could be  
surprisingly - surprising to others - gentle to others. Never to  
Matty. He watched as those thick fingers deftly buttoned up his  
shirt, tucking it back into the expensive dress pants that Matty  
always wore. He smoothed his hands over the strong shoulders before  
helping Matty on with his coat. "We need to make a stop," was all  
Taylor said as he moved them towards the door. Gratefully, Matty  
locked eyes with Taylor's dark, expressive ones. They shared another  
minute before Taylor had them outside. That's just the way things are  
between them.

Chris and Marbles went to their room and waited for Taylor to call.  
Poor Matty, Johnny thought, watching as Chris flipped channels on the  
television. This was all his fault. All of it. And Matty getting beat  
up - he didn't think he could live with that. Matty and Chris were  
his best friends. Taylor, too, sort of - but he could get away with  
more with Chris or Matty. Taylor seemed to always *see* him and  
expect more out of him. He hated that. A lot.

Matty had thought it was bad before. This was much worse. Taylor had  
him stretched out on the bed and for no *good* reason. How had Taylor  
done this for so many years? All the fighting. Matty flinched as  
Taylor ripped off another strip of tape, soothed by the strong hand  
on his shoulder. That sound had Matty thinking of every fight Taylor  
had came home from, looking like he would never heal - never be okay  
again. He wasn't always this tough, moody, solid-as-steel figure that  
loomed over him. How had he done it night after night? He thought  
about asking, but breathing was all he was up for at the moment.  
Trying to be as easy on him as possible, Taylor worked fast.

After taping his ribs, Taylor helped him sit up. Matty was sure the  
worst was over until suddenly his face was being pressed against  
something stinging and hot. He pulled away, but Taylor kept a firm  
grip on him. "Matty, I know it stings, but it works," Taylor rasped,  
sadness just under the surface. Matty stopped struggling, feeling  
like a pussy. After a few minutes, Taylor eased the compress off his  
face and bandaged him up. Matty sucked in a deep breath and let it  
go, holding onto Taylor's forearms in order to stand up.

Once he had his jacket on, Taylor handed him some aspirin. "Take  
these," he said, holding out a glass of water. He phoned Marbles and  
Chris as Matty swallowed them down and threw the cup in the trash  
before turning to Taylor and saying, "Let's go."


End file.
